Forms and templates shortcuts
TreePad Business Edition only
It's nice to be able to choose from a list of templates when you're in the early stages of setting up your forms database. On the other hand, when you've decided what you need and settle down to the dreary task of creating a mass of blank records for use, it's easier and quicker not to have to make the same choice over and over again but to automate your selection as much as possible, for example creating a blank form with one keypress.
TreePad has foreseen this and offers you three ways of inserting a new node:
Method 1 - The Insert special menu
- Click Main menu ⁄ Tree ⁄ Insert special ⁄ (node | template | structure) ⁄ [template name]; or
- Click the Insert special1 toolbutton
on the Tree edit toolbar when the Tree pane has focus.
Timesavers:
- Keyboard shortcut: Alt+Insert1.
- Dedicated Insert special toolbutton.
- Double-clicking any of the templates displayed in the Insert special window's Templates available list completes the insertion, bypassing the OK button.
- You can insert multiple forms at a time by assigning the desired quantity in the Number of nodes to be inserted field. A big advantage.
This method is recommended for beginners and anyone testing their design, where the total number of nodes inserted is low, the choice needs to be as wide as possible, and speed is not an issue.
This method is intended for use with an external template, i.e., the current file does not contain a template from which the form can be copied.
You can cancel inserting a node at any time up to the final selection.
Method 2 - The Insert menu with or without the Insert new node window
Use the standard Insert menu commands (see Inserting (creating) nodes). The Insert new node window is displayed by default but may be bypassed by unchecking "When adding a node, show the 'insert node' dialog" in Main menu ⁄ View ⁄ Options ⁄ TreeBook options, thus reducing the minimum number of keypresses needed to insert a new node from two to one.
Timesavers:
- All the standard Insert menu keyboard shortcuts plus Up⁄Down arrow keys to switch between radio buttons means insertion can be controlled by using keyboard alone.
- Only two keypresses required (Enter, Enter) when inserting multiple sibling nodes if the Insert new node window is displayed, since TreePad resets selections according to previous insertion.
- Only one keypress required (Enter) when inserting multiple sibling nodes if the Insert new node window is not displayed (see above).
Recommended for moderately confident users for routine creation of forms.
This method offers the best balance between choice and speed, but requires the node to be inserted within the scope of an internal template, i.e. one already embedded in the current file. (If the insertion occurs outside the scope of the template, a standard article is inserted.)
You can cancel inserting a node at any time up to the final confirmation, but only if the Insert new node window is displayed.
Method 3 - Insert ⁄ Repeat last insert special
Timesavers:
- One-step keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+Insert)
For experienced users. Simply repeats saved choices made during previous insertion with Insert special.
Good for repetitive inserts once you have confirmed that Insert special inserted the correct node.
Inserts nodes using an external template.
Less risky than using Insert special for inserting multiple nodes at a time.
Being a one-step operation, it cannot be cancelled, but inserted nodes can easily be deleted.
In how many ways can I insert a blank standard article?
- Insert ⁄ child node at bottom⁄top
- Insert ⁄ (sibling) node above⁄below
- Insert ⁄ Repeat last insert special (if last action was to insert a blank node)
- Insert special ⁄ Individual node ⁄ Blank1.
Remember that when inserting blank nodes serially, you can also set TreePad to number them serially or stamp them with the date and⁄or time. This does not apply to inserting forms, templates or structures, which have predefined node titles.